General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am ar 31 Hydref 2024.
Neil Bibby
Llafur
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and what issues were discussed. (S6O-03871)
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
Ministers and Scottish Government officials meet regularly with representatives of all health boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to discuss matters of importance to patients and the services that are provided.
Neil Bibby
Llafur
This week, Unison reps at the Royal Alexandra hospital came to me with serious concerns about the possible closure of ward 36, which has 22 beds for older people with complex needs. There appears to be no thought-through plan for the ward, staff or the patients. One thousand signatures have already been gathered in a petition opposing the move, which one can only assume is a result of budget cuts.
Has the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care been made aware of the proposal to close that ward and cut 22 beds from the RAH? Does he agree that the move should not go ahead, given the concerns that have been raised by the national health service staff who work there?
Given the statement yesterday by the Chancellor of the exchequer, which not only increases bed numbers in England but gives the Scottish Government an extra £3.4 billion, will the cabinet secretary ensure that resources are made available to the health board to protect those vital local services?
Neil Gray
Scottish National Party
I thank Neil Bibby for raising that point. To answer his question directly, I note that that proposal has not been brought to me. It is obviously a local decision to be taken. I respect the local proposals and the local decision making regarding them, but I also respect the issue that Mr Bibby has raised with me on the concerns that have been raised by staff and by the trade union. I would expect NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, if it is taking forward such a proposal, to be consulting on that. There are clear consultation pathways and the Government has clear expectations of boards when they look at service redesign. I do not have the full picture because this is the first that I have heard of it, but I will look into the matter further and make sure that I contact Mr Bibby and other local representatives on it.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
A group of workers who have united to promote their common interests.
